by Russ Sturzebecker
ISBN 0-9600466-1-5
Hardcover, 1976
Forth Edition, 1994

Available From:
Russ Sturzbecker
503 Owens Road, North Hills West Chester PA 19380-4322

Russ Sturzebecker
312th BG DVD

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Review by Justin Taylan. The 312th BG were nicknamed the "Roarin' 20's" as they flew the Douglas A-20 Havoc for most of their wartime service in the South Pacific. Written by Russ Sturzbecker, a veteran of the 312th, and a superb researcher, and curator of the group's history, and to this day involved in the 312th's affairs

312th Bomb Group History
The book follows the unit's history, from its first days of formation and training in the United States, through deployment to the Pacific via New Zealand and Australia and then to the combat zone to Port Moresby. From Gusap, the group began flying combat operations with the A-20 Havoc in the role of light bomber and low level strafer. They flew hundreds of missions at tree top level - strafing and dropping parafrag bombs on airfields, installations and targets of opportunity across New Guinea, Dutch New Guinea, the Philippines (including the first missions against Clark Field), Taiwan missions that pushed the limits of the A-20's range. Their legacy includes numerous harrowing missions and experiences of aircrews in combat.

Photos, Maps & Mission Charts
Every page of the book is illustrated with WWII photographs from the author & group's collections. These include photos of personalities and vivid mission and combat photos, complete with captions. The cover of the book shows the four photograph sequence, dubbed by TIME magazine "The Death of an A-20" that depicts the tragic loss of a 312th BG A-20 over Kokas, Dutch New Guinea

Mission References
Each section of the book also includes detailed mission break downs, related to target attacked, missions flown and bombs dropped and crew rosters. For the researcher, veterans, or relatives of the 312th BG, this will be an essential reference.

End of WWII & Flying the B-32
At the end of the war, one squadron, the 386th BS was the only combat unit in the world to fly the B-32 Dominator in combat - a massive bomber that was developed as an alterative to the B-29.